Good fences make good neighbors. Better fences, however, should achieve more.
The terrain across which a fence may be desired often is not level but rather is inclined. Accounting for such topography may require expensive and time consuming custom fence fabrication on-site. It is more desirable, however, for fencing for such a project to be purchased pre-assembled, yet adaptable for adjustment to match inclined terrain, as pre-assembly would simplify installation and would reduce costs as a result of economies of scale. Even more desirably, such pre-assembled fencing might be adjustable to match a range of inclines, as a range of inclines may be encountered even upon a single fencing installation and certainly between several fencing sites.
Modularity of pre-assembled fencing panels is also desirable. In as much as plans may be altered during installation of fencing, or additional fencing may be discovered to be desirable after installation of an initial run, or later replacement may be desired of a section of fencing damaged after installation, modularity of design would allow easy and aesthetically matching and consistent final results.
The modern economy is described as “global” and in such a context it would be desirable to provide a fence design with components that may be manufactured at a first location, better suited for manufacturing, and shipped unassembled to a second location, better suited for assembly, at which second location the components should be of a design that they are easily connected into finished fencing panels for sale thereafter to end users or for distribution to retailers. In such a context, recognizing the need to minimize the shipping costs, it would be desirable for a fencing design to comprise a minimal number of components that had been optimized so as to be most densely packed into shipping containers. Ideally, those same components should at the same time be of a design allowing efficient connectivity at the assembly location, preferably requiring use only of simple and inexpensive tools, and, once assembled, complement the structural function of each other.
For fencing that is to be manufactured at a first location and shipped unassembled to a second location for assembly, it would be desirable for the components to be designed such that they could be fully painted, coated, or otherwise surface-treated at the manufacturing site yet later assembled at a possibly distant assembly site without damage to the finished surface from transport or from assembly. As to shipping, such fencing components should have no exposed and/or delicate features that would be susceptible to damage in transit, which is inefficient and costly to repair distant from a manufacturing location. Once delivered to the assembly location for assembly, such fencing should comprise a minimal number of different components, for simplification of assembly. And, ideally, only simple, inexpensive tools would be required for such assembly. Once assembled and ready for sale to end users, connectors and structural details ought to be concealed from view, for aesthetic appeal.
Finally, for fencing designed to be manufactured at a first location and shipped unassembled for assembly at a second location into finished fencing product, it would be desirable for the design of the fencing components and the finished assembly to be such that the finished assembly is sturdy, structurally sound, tight, and without loose parts.
The fencing products previously known do not ideally address the foregoing objectives.